Minesthe research that has long proved voluntary exercise reduces anxiety and depression, in order to see if mandatory physical activity would do the same.Notesthat the researchers wanted to see if forced exercise would yield positive results, since intuition might suggest that being forced would have negative results.

Researchers used complex experiment with rats, with a group that had the option of exercising on a wheel and a group forced to exercise on a regular routine.

After 6 weeks of training, the rats were exposed to a stressful situation and researchers measured the amount of time the rats froze before reacting. A slow reaction time represented a reduced ability to cope with stress.

Researchers found that both groups of rats significantly improved their ability to react quickly under stress. So, whether forced or self-motivated, the rats were better off in dealing with stress. The rats who were least active on the wheel had the slowest reaction time in the test.

The experiment provided evidence that exercise, whether forced or voluntary, creates benefits in anxiety and depression.Interested?Click the title or image to read on.Sourceis PsychCentral.comYou might also enjoy: